


One Night Stand

by MiyabiDreams



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Drinking, M/M, One Night Stands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-26
Updated: 2013-09-26
Packaged: 2017-12-27 15:47:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/980745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiyabiDreams/pseuds/MiyabiDreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Creative titling, no?</p><p>(This was written before certain events in canon were revealed so certain points will conflict with canon)</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Night Stand

Life was boring. With no Abstergo, no impending planetary doom, there was no excitement anymore. Sure, Rebecca had let him stay at her place, dipping in and out of the Animus as he saw fit, but there was no urgency to any of it. Shaun frowned, staring at his laptop and clacking away through his research. There was a knock on the door and Rebecca entered, leaning against the door. "Get off your lazy butt, Hastings. We're going out."

Shaun snorted, "Where and why? I told you, I don't want to go to clubs. It's not my thing..." 

"You need to get out of the house before your ass gets any flatter from sitting on it as long as you have," she snorted, "and remember that gut you teased Desmond about? You're getting a rather impressive one to match. Now get up."

Shaun frowned, glaring at her from over his laptop. He had gained weight...but it wasn't like he was becoming obese. "Fine...where are we going then?" he muttered, closing his laptop and getting up to crack his back. He felt her poke his paunch and he pushed her away, "Laugh it up all you want, thunder thighs." He smirked as Rebecca blushed, and absently rubbed her legs. "Such a dick, Shaun..."

At the bar, Desmond had leaned forward against the countertop with his head down on his arms, trying to push back the headache that was forming just from listening to a lot of increasingly drunk people try to sing along to songs from the last decade. _Just a few more hours...then I can go home, take a shower, pass the fuck out._ Immediately after moving back to the states, Desmond had made a beeline for home, renegotiating his lease with a surprisingly understanding landlord and taking his position up behind the bar he'd spent so long behind before being taken from his home by Abstergo. He hadn't heard from anyone except for Lucy lately, which led him to believe that the others had already gone back to their lives and didn't intend to check in. It was a relief, to be honest. Normality was a precious commodity now and he had no intention of squandering it.

Getting smashed sounded like a good idea, but Shaun had to admit that dealing with a drunk Rebecca was probably not a smart idea.

"Come on, Shaun! Order something and go sing!" She waved toward the stage and Shaun shook his head, "I'd have to be beyond piss drunk to ever agree to that." He sat down at a booth, enjoying the show as two drunk girls tried to sing a Spice Girls song, their legs quaking in their towering heels.

Nobody was at the bar, a solitary waitress wandering between tables and cleaning spills, collecting tips, et cetera then approaching the two new arrivals with a pad held up. "What can I get y'all," she drawled, smiling brightly at them both in spite of the large rings forming beneath her eyes. Her pen flew across the paper as Rebecca ordered possibly the worst thing she could, eliciting an agonized groan from the Brit.

"2 Irish car bombs," Shaun muttered, glaring at Rebecca as the woman smirked and nudged him to try to get him to agree to sing. "Keep dreaming, woman. No bloody way am I getting my arse on that stage. If you want to make yourself look like a pathetic sod, go right ahead." 

The waitress delivered the orders to the solitary man behind the bar, waiting there with him until he'd handed over the drinks without a second thought. He didn't particularly care who was still in the bar anymore and people were only ordering bottles of beer or simple shots that the rookie hovering near the other end of the bar could cover himself. The karaoke stage was empty but people were still gathered around. Interesting... _Oh, what the hell?_ Desmond straightened up and untied the apron from around his waist, putting it on the bar and stepping out from behind it, flipping a quick two-finger salute to the man looking at him with raised brows. This should be good...

Desmond ran a finger down page after page of available songs, settling on one after a bit then tapping it into the machine and swinging the microphone around by its cord before catching it when the words popped up on the screen.

_“Everybody in this place_  
is only here for one thing  
and everybody knows my name.  
I've got a feeling this is gonna get insane.  
So let's make this a night, whoah, whoa-oh,  
It's time to show this city what we're made of!" 

"You are soooooo lame!" Rebecca drawled as their drinks were brought out. They clinked their glasses together and Shaun quickly downed his shots, chasing them with the cream. He shook his head vigorously and smiled as Rebecca snorted into her beer. "What?" he said, seeing her eyes go wide. She pointed to the stage and Shaun looked up, seeing a distinctly familiar face take the stage. "Desmond?" he muttered, taking his glasses off and cleaning them. Replacing them back on his face, his jaw dropped. There was no way... _no way_ that Rebecca's new apartment just HAPPENED to be in the same city where their former comrade lived. He watched the younger man take the microphone and flick through the tracks before starting up. Shaun coughed awkwardly and looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. He hadn't expected to see the other man ever again. Sure they had fucked around a few times, but it was obviously all just nerves, tension by from the situation they had been flung into. As soon as the mission had ended, so had they and wordlessly, they went their separate ways. God...he hoped Rebecca didn't insist on talking with the other man...

Of course, there was no way he would be getting away from it that easily. As Desmond sang, ever-so-slightly off-key but surprisingly well considering he hadn't done so in ages, Rebecca stood up in her seat on her side of the booth and waved her arms over her head like an idiot, whooping until she got Desmond's attention. The man stuttered slightly as he recognized her then went on as if nothing had happened until the song finally ended. The moment he hopped down from the stage, Desmond was faced with an entirely too excited-looking tech.

"Holy shit Desmond. Why the hell didn't you say you could sing?"

"...it never came up?"

Shaun fought back the urge to slam his own head in the table as he watched Rebecca. As soon as he saw the other man look their way, he stood, going to the bathroom. Hell, what do you say to your former fuck buddy after almost a year of no contact? Just slip back to being friends? He looked himself in the mirror and washed his face, trying to buy himself some more time.

"You're drinking with us," Rebecca stated matter-of-factly then pushed Desmond toward the table that had been deserted for the moment. The man shook his head and pushed himself upright, straightening the white work shirt he was wearing with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"I can't, Beck. I'm still manning the bar for another few hours. Tell you what though, I'll make you a drink." His eyes flicked to the car bombs sitting on the table, the smallest smirk gracing his lips. "And I'll bring the tight-ass a lager."

Eventually pulling himself away from the bathroom mirror, Shaun forced himself to calmly walk back to their table. Seeing Rebecca by herself, he breathed a slight sigh of relief and sat down. "Che, what happened?" he asked, acting as though he hadn't left because Rebecca had tried to call Desmond over. 

"You ran off like a little bitch!" Rebecca huffed as she crossed her arms, glaring at him then looking around as a tall, slightly fizzing drink was put down in front of her, an uncapped bottle thumping on the table in front of Shaun. When the latter looked up he met the slight smirk of the 'tender.

"When a man's gotta go, a man's gotta go," Shaun said, ignoring her accusation as she crossed her arms next to him. Shaun heard the clunk as a heavy glass was set down just before he saw his favorite American lager settled in front of him. His eyes trailed up, meeting Desmond's smirk. He scowled. "Hello Desmond...fancy seeing you here." 

"Surprised you didn't tell me to go away," Desmond replied then looked back at the bar and groaned as someone took it upon themselves to lean against it while they threw up. "Fuck bachelorette parties. Seriously," he growled as he stomped back toward the bar, making a nauseated face and shooing the girl toward the bathroom, swatting the waitress' shoulder and making her go with.

Taking the beer, Shaun leaned back in his chair, simply watching as the other man ran back over to the bar to go "assist" the drunk girls. He turned back to Rebecca and saw her smiling. "What?" Her arms lifted up over her head as she started bouncing a little and grinding against the air with a lewd expression.

"You wanna bone him~"

Shaun snorted, rolling his eyes. "I already have. It's nothing special," he said, taking a long drink and then setting the bottle down on the table. He turned away from Desmond and looked at Rebecca's drink. "What the hell did he make for you?"

"Ok, then you _still_ wanna bone him. And I dunno. Looks like he got fancy with the hand grenade mix." She shrugged a little and sucked at the straw sticking out of the top of her drink, making a small, squeaky sound and grinning. "Damn that's good!"

"What makes you think that?" Shaun muttered as he absently watched a college kid take the stage, this one slightly less shitfaced than the other singers so far. "He is a bartender...kind of his job to make something good. What liquor is it?" he said, trying to force a change in subject.

"Tastes like melon vodka...not sure what else. I'll have to ask him for the recipe later." She looked up toward the bar, watching Desmond cleaning off the top with a thoroughly sickened expression. "Jeez...you'd think that with all the gore he saw that he'd have a stronger stomach."

"Melon vodka? Sounds disgusting..." Shaun made a face and then glanced back at Desmond. "Well, blood is one thing, half-digested food is another. Plus the smell tends to be...yeah." He shook his head to clear it of the thoughts of vomit before glancing back at his beer. Of course Desmond remembered what he liked...che...

"Disgusting to you with your beer, maybe. I bet you've never even tried a grenade," Rebecca smarmed then took a long pull from her straw and smiled widely as she continued to watch Desmond's back. "Looks like he's been working out lately..."

"I have, but I've never been fond of vodka in general." Shaun gripped his beer, twirling the bottle in his hand, "Strength and good taste....rum has both. A nice dark rum can make even the most boring of nights entertaining." He snorted as Rebecca commented on Desmond's physique, choosing not to respond. It was best that the subject just get dropped, despite the fact that Rebecca seemed determined to keep it open.

"You sound like a spokesperson." Rebecca snorted then went back to her drink in silence, smiling to herself as she looked between Desmond and Shaun, rolling her eyes a little when she caught the latter's eye. Across the bar, Desmond had finished cleaning and had left for the bathroom, where he stayed scrubbing his hands under extremely hot water.

"It's that good," Shaun said with a smirk. "You just have no taste...not all of us can be so blessed unfortunately." He patted her head mockingly, watching as she scowled before looking back over at Desmond. He frowned as she rolled her eyes at him. "Stop giving me that look."

"What look? I have a look?" She gave him an innocent look then stuck her tongue at him when he looked away.

"You know what look," Shaun said, still scowling as he finished off his beer, putting the empty bottle back on the table. "It's not going to work you know." He stubbornly rested his ankle on his knee and looked back up to the stage despite there being no one on it. 

"What, you think I have some sinister plan to shove you into Desmond's arms? Paranoid." Rebecca snorted again and returned the dirty look Shaun gave her. When Desmond reappeared he looked a little harried but otherwise perfectly fine.

"Of course you do." Shaun shook his head, dragging a hand down the side of his face. "You tried to do the same shit when we were all working together for the Brotherhood...so why should I assume that you've given up?" he muttered, not realizing that Desmond had left the bathroom and was approaching their table again. 

"You were already fucking like bunnies to relieve tension, next step woulda been to admit your undying love for him," the woman smirked then looked back up at Desmond with a bright smile and held up the empty glass, which he took without a word. Apparently he'd heard part of the conversation and didn't have anything to add to it.

"Undying-? What!?" Shaun would have continued, but saw a familiar tattooed wrist slid in front of him to retrieve Rebecca's glass. He shot Rebecca a hard glare for not warning him that Desmond was right behind him.

Desmond's brow rose slightly as he looked between the two of them, shaking his head a little and taking the empty glass away before Shaun could decide to snap at him too. Shaun waited until Desmond left before he stood. "I think I'm done for the night. I'm going to head back to the apartment." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the key that Rebecca had given him. "I'd rather not have you lecture me on my sex life for the rest of the evening."

Rebecca scowled and tugged on the sleeve of his jacket. "Oh come on, it was mostly just teasing. Don't be such a brat, Shaun. Besides, you don't even [i]have[/i] a sex life," she added, ducking back in case he decided to swat her. Then she looped her arm around his and followed him to the door, waving at Desmond who waved back lazily then rubbed his hands over his face before turning to the last customer of the evening, an older man with a face like a basset hound.

Shaun just rolled his eyes allowing her to take his arm as they walked out. He caught Desmond's gaze briefly, but outside of that, didn't acknowledge the younger man as they left, going back to the apartment. Almost immediately, he went back to his computer. Rebecca watched him for a few moments before saying, "What would be so bad about asking Desmond out anyway?"

Shaun shrugged, "We wouldn't work together. We were fuck buddies during a tense period. Said period is over, now we all have new lives...simple as that."

When Desmond's shift finally ended he left without a word to either of his coworkers. He hauled himself up the stairs to his apartment with a slight grimace then stripped the moment he'd locked the door behind himself. Immediately he hit the shower, still shuddering occasionally. He should have been used to people throwing up by now. It was a bar and he worked the last shift so vomit wasn't anything new, but still...

Rebecca rolled her eyes a bit and went for the fridge, taking out a beer and popping the tab. "You don't have a life, you're still doing now what you were before. You're gonna go glareblind from staring at that screen."

"What do you suggest I do then? I'm working on important projects for my grant. This is kind of my job, you know." Shaun called out from the couch as the woman went to got herself a beer. 

"You have a laptop, at least go out and get some damn sun. It wouldn't kill you," Rebecca sighed then leaned her weight against his desk as she looked down over the top of his computer. "Seriously. The world isn't out to get us anymore. Enjoy your freedom."

"It's nighttime..." Shaun muttered as he clacked away, his eyes scanning his latest report. It hadn't taken much to convince a local university to hire him, but he would need to find a new line of work as soon as his grant was up. If things didn't get better, he might be forced to go back to England. "If you want me to pay my share of the rent, you might not want to interrupt me."

"Hey, I buy the food and pay for the net so be grateful. Tomorrow, get your ass outta the house. Walk around. Visit people. Do something so you're not such a damn robot."

Shaun glared at Rebecca over his shoulder. "Fine, whatever..." he muttered before pointedly going back to his work. He heard Rebecca snort, but he didn't respond, trying to finish at least his quota for the time being.

In spite of her assertions, Rebecca knew it was important for Shaun to finish his assignments on time so for now just left him alone. She could pester him later. Drag him out to the bar again even, if he didn't flip his shit. After a few hours, Shaun began to slow from exhaustion. Getting up, he went to the fridge and pulled out a soda. He stared at it for a moment and then blushed, shaking his head, "Great...now I'm going to be completely fucking distracted...." he muttered to himself, now unable to get rid of the mental images from the time he fucked Desmond up against the fridge at their old hideout.

Desmond himself was laying on his back on the couch staring at the ceiling with a bottle of beer in hand, his arm tucked under his head. He hadn't needed a reminder of what he'd left behind. As he'd heard Shaun say, it'd just been a temporary thing. Relieving stress in a really tense time. So why the fuck couldn't he just forget it? _Great..._

Going back to his computer, Shaun crushed the empty soda can and ran a hand back through his gelled hair. He turned off the machine and went to his room, stripping down to his boxers and laying on the bed. Staring at the ceiling, he sighed and pulled off his glasses. He had expected to never meet up with any of the others or even see a hint of what had happened less than a year ago.

As his cellphone buzzed, Desmond muttered a little under his breath then ended up tossing it down to the end of the couch. "Not now, Lucy. Jeez..." he grumbled then put his arm over his eyes, the other hand resting against his stomach. He started grazing his nails over his skin, shivering a little as the action raised slight gooseflesh along his arms. Nobody had touched him since the last time Shaun had and it was beginning to piss him off. Yes, a couple had been interested, but it extended no further than flirting. What good was that to him?

Fuck...now all he kept thinking about were their romps. Shaun closed his eyes and groaned. Maybe Rebecca was right and he just needed to get laid. Forget about those old memories and find someone who didn't annoy the living fuck out of him. He had to admit though...he missed squeezing Desmond's toned ass. Damnit, he needed to stop thinking about that! Just because the other man had a body to die for didn't mean that it was worth trying to shack up again!

Desmond's mind was headed right down that same gutter. Taking or being taken by Shaun, it didn't matter. It never had. All he could think now was how much he missed it. He wanted to find someone he could at least spend a night with that wouldn't pester him for a relationship. Fat chance of that. Desmond's teeth worried at his lip as he reached a hand down, running his fingers over himself beneath the fabric of his pants, his brow furrowed slightly; he and his hand were getting much more familiar in recent weeks and it was starting to get annoying.

"Forget it...you're not really attracted to Desmond and he was never attracted to you," the Brit told himself. "It was all just for the sake of stress relief..." Sitting up again, Shaun forced himself to the bathroom. He washed his face, splashing it a few times before staring at himself in the mirror. Fuck...Rebecca was right. He poked the sagging pale paunch of his stomach and sighed. "Yeah...why the fuck would he even find this appealing?" He snorted, "Bloody hell...stop that..." he told his reflection.

"God dammit..." Desmond gritted his teeth, his eyes clenched shut as he hardened quickly in his own hand, memory pulling out the first footage it came to of one of several nights spent under the weight of the brit, face shoved into his pillows. His hand quickened in time with the pale one that wrapped around him in his mind's eye.

Rubbing his eyes under his glasses, Shaun frowned, scratching his chest. "A walk...that's what you need, Hastings..." he told himself, "Clear my head about this whole mess..." he left the bathroom and went back to his room, getting dressed again and pulling his jacket on. He wrote a quick note and tacked it to Rebecca's door before swiping his keys off the counter and walking out, his hands shoved into his pockets.

After finishing himself and laying back, swearing profusely at himself under his breath, Desmond sat up and ran his clean hand through his hair. He frowned a little at how long and shaggy it was getting, shaking his head then taking the time to wash himself off before pulling his clothes on straight and walking out of his apartment without a second thought. A walk to clear his head. That seemed appropriate.

Sticking to the well lit areas, lest he get mugged again, Shaun watched as the drunkards and college students stumbled and laughed on the streets, music blasting out of nearby clubs. He shook his head and continued on, seeing a few coffee shops were still open. He slipped inside one on the corner and ordered some tea.

With his hands shoved deep into the pockets of the sweater he had yet to get rid of, Desmond stepped out of the dark alleyway that led up to the stairwell of his apartment and started on his way to nowhere in particular. He kept his head down, paying little attention to where he was going. He passed the coffee shop Shaun had ducked into. Taking his tea out, Shaun exhaled, holding the cup with both hands as he walked. "Fuck...can't get that stupid wank off my mind..." he muttered to no one in particular as he walked. He took a long sip and swirled the tea in the cup to mix it a bit more and scowled, "Shoddy job...how the bloody hell do you fuck up tea?"

"Too bad you live in the same city as that stupid wank," Desmond's voice sounded from a few meters away; having heard Shaun's very recognizable griping, Desmond had stopped and turned, arms crossing as he leveled a slightly sarcastic stare at the Brit.

It took a few seconds for Shaun to register that someone had spoken to him and when he did, he froze like a deer in headlights for a moment before sneering. "Miles...what makes you think I'm talking about you, huh?" he said, taking another sip of his tea. 

"Who else would you be calling a stupid wank? Especially considering you just left my bar not too long ago looking like you'd like nothing more than to hit something," Desmond sneered right back, his head canted to one side.

Shaun just scowled, lowering the cup in his hands as he stared at Desmond. "Whatever Miles..." he muttered, turning on his heel, "I don't bloody need this right now." He started walking in the opposite direction, trying to ignore the pounding in his chest.

"Running back to your computer to drown in your studies? You're getting a doctorate or something now aren't you? Just like you said you wanted to." Desmond allowed himself a small smile then turned, starting to walk away once more with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Good luck."

Shaun's fingers clenched around the cup in his hands and he bit his lip. "Yeah..." he said in a low voice. Cursing to himself, he turned back around and stormed over to Desmond, grabbing him by the shoulder and yanking him back. He opened his mouth, but found the words caught in his throat as if the tea he'd been drinking had glued his vocal cords shut. Desmond stumbled a little, staring at the older man as he tried to speak. Shaking his head, pulled his sleeve out of Shaun's grip and let his arm hang at his side. "Look, you want something to drink? There are better places than that for tea..."

Shaun's gaze drifted to the cup in his hands and he sighed, "Sure..." he managed, letting his teeth click shut after that. He saw Desmond smile lightly and Shaun found himself returning it without a fuss. Plucking the cup out of Shaun's hand, Desmond took a swallow of it and grimaced then dropped it into a trash can as they walked past it. "So what would you prefer, tea bags or tea leaves? There are a couple cafes that only use one or the other."

Shaun put up no fight as Desmond took the cup in his hands and took a drink. "Yeah...I don't understand how you can fuck up tea..." he shook his head as Desmond dropped the cup into a bin. "I'm used to bags...but I'm not opposed to leaves either. Whatever is cheaper...I don't have much to spend." He put his hands into the pockets of his thick jacket and looked pointedly ahead as they walked.

"Because you're in the American southwest for whatever reason, dipshit. Tea is a foreign beverage. You want something local and good, try horchata. Doubt you'd go for that though. Come on." Desmond nodded toward the door of an open-air cafe, stepping in and waving a little at a couple of people that looked a little too close to necking for comfort. He put a hand on Shaun's shoulder and pulled him forward. "Good selection, but avoid the bottom brews. This late they get a little lazy with 'em."

"I followed Rebecca...I didn't know she lived here until we had already left." Shaun rolled his eyes and followed Desmond into the cafe. He felt the other pull him in front of the counter and he exhaled, looking over the selection. "Since when do you drink tea?" Shaun said as he made his selection.

"I don't. They make a damn good coffee here though so I'm something of a regular. Tried a couple different teas out of boredom." Desmond shrugged a little and placed his own order before going to the other end of the counter to wait.

Paying for his, Shaun stood next to Desmond, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well I hope it's better than that swill I just tried to down..." he said, looking over and watching their orders being made. "So you went right back to bartending then...how has that been working out for you?"

"Pretty damn good actually. It's nice being back in my comfort zone in spite of the…fluids involved. Flirt enough and you can get some damn good tips." Desmond smirked a bit then picked up the cups as they were put down in front of them, nodding a bit at the man that handed them over then handing Shaun his tea.

Taking the cup from Desmond, Shaun hesitantly took a sip, sighing a bit. "Not bad," he said as he leaned against the wall. "I'm surprised you didn't try out for something more physically demanding after all the running and jumping you did last year." He shrugged, walking over to a nearby couch and plopping down, rubbing the side of his face. Fuck...he should just leave...

"Thought about it, but I prefer standing behind a bar, believe it or not. Like I said, comfort zone." Desmond shrugged a little then perched on the edge of the couch, leaning forward with his elbows against his knees as he sipped from his coffee, hissing a little as his tongue was lightly scalded. He could feel the tension from the man beside him and chose to make no move that would make things any more awkward. A few minutes passed in complete silence as Shaun just sat there with his tea, occasionally taking a sip as he watched people pass them by on the sidewalk. He wanted to just get up and wave the other man off, but his legs and arse were pretty much glued to the chair as his heart pounded in his chest. Damnit...he didn't like bloody Desmond Miles, thickest moron on the face of the Earth! He didn't!

Of course, when Desmond turned to look at him his heart nearly stopped in his chest. The younger man smiled faintly and took a long swallow of his coffee then slid back and leaned into the back of the couch comfortably. "So what happens when you finish your stint here? Plan to go back to England or stay with Becka?"

Shaun swallowed hard and shrugged, "I'm not sure. Depends on what kind of job offers I get here. If they're decent enough, I'd stay. If not, then problem go somewhere else. Not sure if I'd head home though..." He took another long sip and exhaled, running his tongue over his dry lips.

"Somehow I can't really picture you hanging around here. In the states you'd probably be better in New York in one of the museums or something maybe." Shrugging, Desmond finished off his coffee in a few swallows.

Nodding absently, Shaun looked down at his tea and said, "Well, I have to get my degree first...then I can talk jobs..." He leaned back into the plush of the couch, trying to appear relaxed as he watching Desmond out of the corner of his eye, grateful for the slight shield that his glasses provided. 

"I think you could do it, too. Get your degree and find something good, do something great with your life now that you don't have to run everywhere. 'Course, life's less exciting now but a little bit of normality is good for the soul." Nodding matter-of-factly, Desmond stood and pulled his jeans up more comfortably then gave a quick two-finger salute as he moved toward the trash can to toss the foam cup that had held his coffee. "Enjoy your tea. You n’ Beck try not to kill eachother."

As Desmond stood, Shaun found himself doing so as well. "Wait, Desmond-" he reached out to grab the other man by the jacket, but he forced his arm back down, shoving his hands into his pockets. His face flushed and he turned away. "Sorry...forget it..."

Desmond looked back around as he started to the door, brow raised slightly. His expression was blank, if a bit nonplussed. "Nah, what's up?"

"Forget it..." Shaun forced himself to say, downing the rest of his tea to give his mouth something not stupid and embarrassing to do. He walked to the trash and tossed the cup, wishing that he had gotten a larger size so that he would have been distracted for a little longer. "It's not important."

Desmond opened his mouth to say something, then shook his head and closed it as he turned, shrugging internally and heading back toward the exit only to stop and look back at Shaun, who was still standing beside the trash can looking thoroughly flustered. "Look, if you got something to say, just say it."

Shaun blinked and couldn't help but look back around at Desmond who was waiting at the door, wondering if he was going to bloody say anything. He sighed, trailing his hand back through his hair nervously. Fuck....fuck, bloody wanking buggery _fuck!_ He shook his head vigorously before walking up to Desmond, wrapping an arm around the other man's neck and pulling him into a rough kiss, his eyes closing so that he wouldn't have to see the other man's disgusted reaction.

Desmond flailed his arms a bit and gripped the doorframe, his face immediately flaring red. It was a few tense moments before he relaxed, his lips pressing back against Shaun's until the other man pulled away. "I um...w-what?"

Pulling back, Shaun adjusted the collar of his jacket and hissed, "For some sodding reason, I'm still attracted to your sorry arse." Shaun groaned and pinched his brow. He shook his head, pushing past Desmond and leaving the shop, his head bowed as he tried to flee the scene before Desmond came to.

Recovering fairly quickly, Desmond turned and jogged after Shaun, falling into stride with him with his hands once more tucked safely into the pockets of his sweater. He ignored the look the man gave him in favor of staring on ahead as he willed the flush down from his face. Glaring at Desmond, Shaun muttered, "What are you following me for, Desmond?" he muttered, adjusting his glasses as the other man nosily clomped up next to him.

"It just so happens my apartment's back in this direction," Desmond snapped, sounding perhaps a little more hostile than he actually felt. He slowed down a little and looked at the ground before willing himself to look back up into Shaun's face. "What the hell was that all about, Shaun? You weren't attracted to me before and out of nowhere you do that?"

"Trust me, I'm asking myself the same bloody question..." Shaun muttered, gnawing on his own bottom lip as they walked. "I didn't think about what happened all goddamn year...and then I see you tonight and suddenly I can't stop thinking about shagging you into the floor." 

"And the fridge. And my bed. Your bed. Your desk. The couch. The Animus." Desmond smirked faintly as he went through the list of places they'd either fucked or blown one another over the course of their flight from Abstergo. He couldn't help but grin back at Shaun's appalled expression, face flushed pink as he looked away.

"Goddamn...did we really do it that much?" He saw Desmond's smirk widen and Shaun groaned. "Goddamnit..."

"At least once each place. We were more tense than we thought apparently." Desmond's tone was nonchalant, but in his mind he was yelling at himself to just walk away and let the discussion die.

"Well that doesn't explain why the hell I want to shag you now. The danger is long since over and our lives...while not entirely normal, are no more weird than the average person now." Shaun's blush darkened and he shook his head. "Look, just forget it. I'm sure it will pass and things will go back to how they were before. I'm just going to avoid your bar from now on. Sound good?"

"Depends. Have someone else to fuck into the wall?" Both of them stopped, staring at one another, Desmond's expression entirely serious, though not without a hint of humor.

Stopping and turning to stare at the other man, Shaun bit the corner of his lip. "I live with Rebecca, of course I don't..." he muttered, the streetlamp overhead giving his glasses a glare, making it impossible to see his eyes behind the lenses. 

"Then come home with me. We can shag then you can go home and decide whether or not you want it to happen again or you wanna go bury yourself in the desert or something." Desmond shrugged a little, grateful that it was dark enough and that his skin had tanned to the point that the light flush that had once more worked up across the bridge of his nose was near invisible.

Staring at the other, Shaun lowered his gaze. "Wait a minute..." he raised his head again, his eyes narrowed behind his glasses, "Why are you offering exactly? Last time I checked, you could barely stand me, Miles."

"And you couldn't stand to say more than three goddamn words to me at a time but it didn't stop you then and it didn't stop you just now and I'm offering to take you back to my place, have a one-night stand and if it does nothing for you, you can walk away and never see me again. So?" Desmond crossed his arms, staring at Shaun with raised brows, waiting for the man to stop gaping.

Shaun's teeth clicked shut as he stared at the other man. So did this mean that Desmond just wanted a shag too? He sighed and finally said, "Alright..." in a gruff voice, his face having gone from pink to red.

"Hey, this means you and her get a break from eachother. Be glad." Desmond smirked faintly then reached out and pulled Shaun's sleeve to start him walking again.

"I just didn't imagine that you would ever be interested without the tension...I mean, we only fucked back then because we were pissed at each other and therefore were the best vents for our own frustration and anger." Shaun slowly began to walk alongside Desmond, pulling his sleeve out of the other man's grip as they started toward the other man's apartment.

"Pissed at eachother, at the world in general, and you're still pretty damn tense from where I'm standing. Feels like nothing's changed, to be honest. May not be in danger of getting killed but you don't really seem like you've relaxed at all. Besides, like I said, if you hate it you can go back to work and forget about it. You've lived for a year without thinking about it, I'm pretty sure you can forget about it again."

Shaun snorted, "Doesn't explain why you don't mind it. You're offering to have sex with me, Desmond...even if it's casual, it's strange nonetheless." Things went silent between them both again as they got to Desmond's apartment complex, going up the stairs to the bartender's door. Shaun felt his heart speed up as Desmond took out the key and slid it into the lock.

"Just because I don't particularly like you doesn't mean I don't like sex with you. You're a good lay." The door opened silently and they stepped through only to have it locked behind them immediately. Desmond leaned back against it and reached out with his foot, kicking the heel of Shaun's shoe. "What about you then? You couldn't stand me and you actually agreed to come back with me."

Shaun turned slightly and shrugged off his jacket, folding it under his arm. "I told you...I don't know. After seeing you tonight...I just couldn't stop thinking about it." He stopped and stared at Desmond. "Che...so you're still single as well? Dunno how you've managed that, but whatever...not going to say I'm not glad for it. There won't be any guilt in this then."

"And then I heard Rebecca bugging you about it. Didn't want to say anything though." Desmond reached out and took the coat from under Shaun's arm, shaking it out and hanging it over one of the trio of hooks stuck to the wall beside the door. "But no, there's no guilt here. I may serve drinks but it doesn't mean that I particularly like the people I serve."

Snorting, Shaun just shook his head, "They annoy you more than me? Well that's a surprise," he muttered before he walked forward and pressed Desmond against the wall, locking their lips together briefly before shoving his tongue into the other man's mouth. One hand tangled in Desmond's short hair and he pulled back, looking at the younger man with slightly glazed eyes.

"They don't have as much class," Desmond muttered against Shaun's lips then fisted his hands in the man's shirt and reversed their positions, pressing his lips up along the line of his jaw then down to an area of Shaun's neck that he knew was sensitive.

Chuckling as Desmond pressed his back to the wall, he smirked at the younger man, "I wouldn't say I have class...just good taste. You are the one exception to that of course." His opposite hand wrapped around Desmond's waist, moving down and squeezing the other man's ass through his jeans. He felt lips on his jaw, moving down over the tendon of his throat. He sighed, eyes fluttering closed behind his glasses. "Fuck you, Miles..." he murmured as the other man began to mouth at that spot. 

"More class than the general public," Desmond smirked then bit down near the base of Shaun's throat, pulling his collar aside and taking the time to raise a small mark before looking back up and trailing his lips back along the Brit's. "Fuck me, fuck you, whatever you want."

Shaun forced his eyes open again as he raised his hand, slipping it into the front of Desmond's jeans, feeling that the other was already a bit excited. He smiled and leaned forward, biting Desmond's bottom lip hard. "Bed..." he said simply, forcing Desmond back with another kiss. Desmond grinned and bit back into Shaun's lip then pulled back enough to pull the man's shirt off over his head, throwing it to one side then working on the belt holding his pants up, dropping it as his back hit the door to his bedroom and forced it open. He ran his hands down Shaun's sides, taking a moment to tickle his nails over the man's paunch. "And you got onto me about getting fat. Jeez."

Shaun allowed the other man to remove his shirt, his arms coming right back down to unzip Desmond's jeans and his hoodie. He felt the other man's hands trail over his flabby stomach and he scowled, his cheeks turning pink, "So I've gotten soft...I blame your fatty American food." He pushed Desmond back into the bedroom as the door clicked open and he shoved the younger man down onto the bed, yanking off Desmond's hoodie and pushing his tee and undershirt up to his armpits to expose his toned stomach and chest. 

Desmond's hand wound into the gelled fauxhawk Shaun still sported, letting a quiet breath as he leaned back with his weight propped on his arm. "You've always been soft. You can't blame that on the food alone." His head fell back, eyes closing as Shaun's mouth slipped down along his stomach. Shaun chose to ignore that comment in favor of nipping and sucking on the lithe muscles running down Desmond's chest and stomach. Reaching the other man's jeans, he pulled them down to Desmond's knees, waiting for the other man to lift his legs before tearing them off. "Well apparently you don't care if I'm soft or not..." He palmed the other man's bulging boxer-clad crotch, rubbing circles in it and watching as Desmond twitched below him. 

"Well, no. Told you you were a damn good lay," Desmond smirked then laid back, his hips moving up slightly to press his hardening shaft up into Shaun's hand. Damn near a year in the company of nothing but his own hand was catching up with him all at once and already he was throbbing slowly against the cotton of his boxers.

"So you don't want to shag because I've gained some weight?" Shaun asked, a slightly evil glint behind the frames of his glasses. "Well...I guess I should just leave then. No point in wasting my time..." He made to stand, but Desmond grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him back so they laid chest to chest. Shaun chuckled and ground his hips down, wishing he could feel more through his slacks, but appreciative of the moan that Desmond gave beneath him.

"If I didn't want it you'd know it," he growled quietly then tightened his grip on Shaun's wrist and pulled him over, pushing him down flat on the bed and straddling his hips, his own rolling slowly and pressing down into the growing bulge in Shaun's trousers.

Leaning up and pressing his hips to Desmond's Shaun nipped the other man's ear, sucking on the lobe as the younger man thrust down against him. "Hmmm...so how should we do this then? It's been so long..." His hands trailed down Desmond's chest, one plucking at the man's nipple while the other pushed Desmond's boxers down to release the twitching tip of his dick.

"Surely you couldn't just completely forget how to fuck in a year's time," Desmond chuckled then grinned down at Shaun as the man glared at him. He leaned down with his arms up and fingers running through the mess of the Brit's hair, lips brushing lightly over short ginger stubble. "Whatever you do, do it slow. I wanna savor it."

Glaring at Desmond, Shaun gave the other man's dick a hard punishing squeeze. "I meant, who gets to top..." He relaxed a bit as Desmond played with his hair, tearing through the gel easily. "Savor it? Haven't gotten laid in a while..." he exhaled and forced Desmond's boxers off, letting the younger man kick them to the floor before Desmond yanked off his shirt, laying down over Shaun completely nude. Shaun looked over the other man, licking along his bottom lip. Rebecca had been right...damn. "Trying to be a body builder now, Miles?" he said snidely, hiding his appreciation behind his snigger.

"Not quite. But maybe you and Rebecca nagging me got me thinking about my figure." Desmond smirked and sat up, striking a pose then laughing as his stomach was poked. He rolled his hips back down into Shaun's crotch and smirked widely at the quiet, shuddering groan it earned him. His teeth closed on his lower lip as the older man stroked up the length of his cock. "Haven't lost your touch, at least..."

Shaun just rolled his eyes and began to squeeze and paw up and down Desmond's shaft. "A year won't make me forget how to give a bloody good handjob." He leaned up, forcing Desmond to straddle him properly. "Hmmmmmm..." he purred in his throat before latching onto Desmond's shoulder, biting deep enough to leave a distinct mark. "Payback..." he said, licking the bruise before kissing Desmond's throat, his lips brushing over the other man's jawline. "Now why don't you get off me for a moment so I can take these pants off before my dick suffocates?"

Desmond winced a bit and ran his hand over the mark, standing up on his knees then sliding back long enough to let the Brit strip out of his trousers and boxer shorts. Then he knelt down on the ground and pressed his face into the older man's thigh, hands moving up along his legs then wrapping around the proud erection he sported. "Can't tell me you haven't had anyone in this long..."

Biting off a groan as Desmond squeezed the base of his throbbing cock, Shaun chuckled, "What? Pah...I wish..." he muttered, pushing himself to his elbows as he felt Desmond lay kisses up his thigh, slowly moving to his swollen erection. "I'm usually at my computer, even on weekends. No time or place to pick up anyone."

"Still buried under the work you bring on yourself...Gonna turn into a lonely old bachelor if your not careful." Desmond's tongue ran up the underside of Shaun's dick, toying with the frenum then lapping at the precum starting to bead at the head. He gave a quiet breath of laughter as he felt Shaun twitching in his hand then wrapped his lips around the soft, hot glans as his hand slipped down to squeeze and toy with his balls.

"Some of us can't simply skate by on good looks and fast hands," Shaun murmured, his eyes rolling closed as Desmond began to tease his groin, his dick twitching a bit as Desmond sucked the precum out of the tip and toyed with his throbbing testicles. His hand reached down, tangling in Desmond's hair again, massaging the back of the younger man's neck and encouraging him to take it deeper.

Rolling his eyes a bit, Desmond slipped down, his tongue moving over every inch of skin it could reach as he gave long, slow sucks in time with the motion of his head, He followed the urge of Shaun's hand, only going for the most tender spots once in awhile; he wanted it to last, that much was clear. He'd missed the sounds the brit made for him, whether they be from his mouth, hands or the main event. His breath coming out in pants, cheeks and chest flushed, Shaun let out a low groan, his knees bending and squeezing Desmond's broad shoulders. The younger man was really dragging it out. "Fuck, Desmond..." he breathed, hips twitching as the other man rubbed the skin behind his balls. Desmond smiled faintly around the older man's shaft and dipped down further, relaxing his throat and taking him back further as his fingers played over the spot behind the man's sac a few moments longer then dipped back, index finger probing gently at the tight ring of muscle there.

Shaun tensed a bit as Desmond rubbed against his anus, but eventually relaxed with the movement. He purred in his throat as Desmond took him deeper, the head of his cock sliding into the back of the other man's throat. "Yes...god you've got such...hot fucking mouth." His fingers in Desmond's hair tensed and then relaxed as Desmond went back to sucking him, putting intense pressure on the head of his cock. As soon as Shaun relaxed, the finger pushed up slowly, pausing as the man bucked up slightly. Desmond's eyes closed, face flushing as the stream of obscenities poured form the brit's lips. He pulled up slowly and once more focused on the head, relishing the increasing volume of the sounds Shaun made and the thrust of his hips.

His opposite hand gripping the headboard behind him in a vice, Shaun gritted his teeth as Desmond's finger managed to slip all the way inside of him dry. "Bugger all...couldn't you have at least spit on it?" he hissed, "Shitting-" he bit his lip as his body naturally clenched around the digit, not having had anything inside of him in a very long time. "Bloody-fucking-hell..." he turned his head to the side as Desmond focused on the head of his dick, trying to distract him from the pain. "Where's your goddamn lube?"

Desmond's free hand pointed at the cluttered table beside his bed then flailed at it a little until his fingers hooked around the barely-open drawer, dragging it out further then returning once more to focus on torturing Shaun's nerves thoroughly. He pulled his finger back out a little at a time then reached up and squeezed a generous amount into one hand and used a bit of the extra to slick his finger before once more slipping it up into Shaun's ass, his oily hand wrapping around his own dick and pumping slowly in time with the bobbing of his head.

Shaun gave a sigh of relief as Desmond slicked up his finger, reentering him much more smoothly. His grip on the sheets became less desperate as Desmond began thrusting and curling the long finger inside of him, faintly brushing his prostate. Abandoned, Shaun's dick dribbled precum onto his own stomach, his chest rising and falling rapidly as Desmond sped up with his hand.

Pressing his lips along the line of Shaun's hip, Desmond lifted himself up and took his hand away from the older man long enough to stroke a layer of lube onto himself before pulling his finger back, only to add another to help stretch the older man's entrance. He smirked faintly as he moved up and bit down gently on Shaun's nipple. Shaun let out a harsh curse as Desmond bit down and began to suck. His hand in Desmond's hair pulled the other man up until they were face to face. Breathing hard, Shaun stared at Desmond for a moment before pressing forward, claiming the younger man's lips in a harsh, but slow manner, his tongue dancing over Desmond's teeth. Desmond returned the kiss, his tongue slipping along Shaun's as he thrust his fingers in faster, adding a third and holding still as he let the man adjust before moving once more. His eyes squeezed shut as he shifted forward and pressed the head of his cock against Shaun's entrance, pushing up into him slowly as he supported his weight on one arm. Shaun's eyes opened wide as Desmond briefly stretched him open with three fingers before pressing himself inside. "Aaah! Fuck...I thought..." he panted, "You wanted..t-to go slow?" He gritted his teeth in slight pain as Desmond pushed in to the hilt, the younger man's sac pressing against his backside. His arms wrapped around Desmond's back, his nails digging into the muscles and dark skin.

"I am...which is why I hadn't pounded you into the wall as soon as we got inside," Desmond purred as he nuzzled down into Shaun's neck, holding still for the time being. He bent his legs up and sat on spread knees between Shaun's thighs, strong arms wrapped around his middle as his lips teased a burning trail along the older man's shoulder down to his chest. Letting out a low whine, Shaun forced himself to relax as much as he could, giving into the feeling of Desmond kissing and nipping his throat and collarbone. Slowly, his body loosened up, his breaths becoming deep and labored as his brown eyes glazed over with lust instead of pain. "Next time...you're the one t-taking it up the arse," he growled into Desmond's ear, nipping it harshly.

"Next time?" Desmond's teeth grazed along the front of Shaun's throat, biting in around his Adam's apple gently and eliciting another groan that caused his cock to throb slightly in the man's confines. His hands ran down to grip the soft muscle of Shaun's ass. Realizing what he had said, Shaun just growled, squeezing around Desmond's dick inside to him to get the other man to shut up. He felt Desmond shudder above him, those strong hands cupping the swell of his ass and lifting him up slightly. Shaun clung to Desmond's shoulders and back, his mouth opening in a silent gasp as Desmond situated them so that Shaun was sitting up and straddling his legs, impaled on the younger man's length in his lap.

Moving slowly, Desmond started to thrust up into him, keeping a grip on his ass as he did so. He let a quiet breath against the base of Shaun's neck then pulled up and pressed his lips back to the other's firmly. The bed creaked beneath them in spite of the slow pace but went unheard as Desmond moved. Shaun pressed back into the kiss, groaning into the other man's mouth as he rolled his hips down to meet Desmond's thrusts, his own dick bobbing up and down messily between their stomachs. Shaun ripped away after a minute, panting for a few seconds before hissing, "Come on you....f-fuckin' wank. You can do b-better!" He squeezed down on Desmond's dick again and he felt the other man's hands tight over his ass, his dick twitching deep inside. 

"I thought you wanted to go [i]slow[/i]," Desmond mocked then chuckled darkly and lifted himself up, his fingertips digging into the meat of Shaun's ass as he pulled out to the head then snapped his hips forward hard, drawing a strangled cry from the older man that made him groan out in return. He repeated the motion, pulling out then thrusting back in hard and smacking Shaun's head on the headboard of his bed.

Shaun's dick twitched wildly between them, his precum smearing against Desmond's toned stomach as his head collided the headboard. He gave another cry, his nails cutting into the skin of Desmond's back as the younger man stabbed his prostate and pushed back as far into him as physically possible. "Shut up and fuck me!" 

Desmond hissed quietly as he felt blood seep from beneath Shaun's nails and down along his back. "I'll make you scream for me," he growled quietly then lifted the older man's leg up and flipped him over, pulling him up onto his knees then pushed in deep before pulling back enough to drive the head of his cock over Shaun's prostate with every pass. The sound of slapping flesh and hissed curses filled his room, likely loud enough to wake the neighbors.

Shaun groaned, feeling Desmond grab his hips and pull him up onto his knees. He bit his lip as Desmond pushed back inside and Shaun lowered his torso to the bed, moaning wantonly as Desmond pushed in deeper and deeper. His own cock wept between his legs and Shaun reached down, squeezing himself before stroking hard and fast with Desmond's thrusts. It wasn't long before Desmond's hand laced with the hand around his cock and squeezed around it. He held himself back through sheer force of will, his dick throbbing hard inside Shaun's body as he strove to bring the Brit to his orgasm first.

"Desmond!" Shaun hissed, his face half buried in the pillow as the other man squeezed his cock. He bit his own lip as the other man pulled out all the way and thrust right back in, rocking the older man's body forward roughly. "FUCK!" Shaun yelled, his dick spasming in his and Desmond's hands, his body clenching tightly around Desmond's pulsing cock as he spilled himself onto the sheets below. Shaun shuddered, his knees shaking as he fought to keep his lower body propped up. He licked his lips and shivered, turning his head to look up at Desmond, his glasses skewed slightly. 

Desmond's arms wrapped around Shaun's waist and hauled him upright, slightly chapped lips pressing into the nape of the Brit's neck as his thrusts slowed to a stop, dick pulsing hard as he emptied himself inside then relaxed with his chest flush against Shaun's back. He reached up and pulled off the man's glasses, wincing a little at the slightly bent frames. "God damn..."

Shaun panted hard, his eyes closing as Desmond removed his glasses and put them on the bedside table. Slowly, he snorted, "Little too late for that..." he muttered, feeling Desmond's dick soften inside of him, the younger man's arms bracing him against Desmond's chest as the fingers ran up and down the paunch of his belly. Glancing over at the clock on his nightstand, he groaned quietly and tipped over slowly until they were both laying on their sides. "Fuuuuck we really need to get to sleep. We've both got shit to do in the morning right?"

“’s your fault, bloody git,” Shaun grumbled, then yawned as he pulled away and turned over. He knew he should try and go home, finish his work, but…

After pressing his lips just behind Shaun’s ear, Desmond ran an arm around Shaun’s waist and pressed against his back, yawning widely with his head down against the older man’s shoulder then nuzzling into his neck. He made no move to return the affection, instead letting himself drift off quickly. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, least of all to Desmond, but he enjoyed the feeling of sharing the bed with another warm body.

Morning came far too quickly but even as Desmond’s alarm clock went off, Shaun was already waking up. The other still snored, sprawled out over half of the bed completely dead to the world. After slapping the snooze, Shaun eased himself out from under the younger man’s weight and picked up the trail of his clothes, wincing a little as he moved. He reached into a pocket of his jacket when he finally retrieved it, biting his lip as he pulled out an old notepad. He wasn’t even sure why he still carried one.

\--

Rebecca woke to the familiar sound of rapid typing, grumbling quietly under her breath as she trudged down the hall from her bedroom to the small kitchenette in a tanktop and underwear. She looked back at Shaun, working industriously as ever and, over the continuous clatter of his keyboard she could hear him muttering under his breath. She smiled faintly and stepped up behind him, laying a hand on top of his head and ruffling his un-gelled hair a bit, making him scowl up at her. That let her get a glimpse of one of the marks he had tried in vain to hide behind the collar of his shirt. “Have a good walk?”

Shaun just ignored her in favor of working through the backlog of work, once more grumbling under his breath about stupid bloody Americans and wasting time and Rebecca could have sworn she’d heard something in there about his aching bum. She wisely kept her mouth shut in favor of grabbing a bowl of cereal, then dressing for work and leaving Shaun alone in the apartment once again. When she got home, he was still at his desk, his head down on his keyboard. She eased it out from under him, then took off his glasses and saved what he had and shut down his system.

Then she draped a blanket over his shoulders and patted his back lightly before heading back toward her room. She could pester him about Desmond later.

\--

The bartender in question walked with the stereotypical ‘I just got laid’ spring in his step and both of his coworkers were quick to point this out.

Neither of them knew about the note though.

_We’ll see about that ‘next time’. - Shaun_


End file.
